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Lifting table from milling machine

The ongoing saga of my (originally) cheap Sturdimill 1250 continues! I've discovered that the manually operated way-lube pump on the table is not connected to anything after operating the pump and lubricating nothing but my shoe. There is supposed to be a pipe from the pump output to a manifold buried underneath the table; unfortunately the pipe from the manifold ends about 6" from the pump and there is no way to replace or join the pipe without removing the table. The table is 50" x 10" x approx. 2" deep, so I figure it weighs less than 300lbs (not accounting for the missing metal in the T slots), so I can lift it with my 550lb hoist. It appears that I need to unbolt the 2 leadscrew bearing plates from either end of the table, slide out the taper gib and the table is then free to lift; have I missed anything? Will the dovetail, at its widest point (where the gib is thinnest), lift out of the mating dovetail on the knee? Does anyone have experience lifting the table from a similar size mill and care to comment on the pitfalls of doing this? Martin

Reply to
Martin Whybrow
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You shouldn't have to lift it off. Bring up a table and sit it next to your mill table. Adjust the knee height so it matches. Remove the handles and lead screw and slide the table off onto the other table. - GWE

Reply to
Grant Erwin

Reply to
Waynemak

I guess you mean slide it sideways onto a table; I'll measure this up tomorrow, there should enough room to slide the table fully out of the knee, bearing in mind that the mill is positioned across the corner of my garage; I just need to find a sufficiently high (33") and sufficiently strong table. Is there any reason to do it this way, given that my hoist should have the capacity to lift the table? Martin

Reply to
Martin Whybrow

It has to go sideways anyways, right, to get it off the dovetailed ways? I've done it both ways, with a hoist and with a table, and I recommend the table. The hoist wasn't easy to connect solidly to the table. I used T-nuts threaded with hoist rings and they tended to slide. And this was a wimpy little Bridgeport table. You don't want a big mill table turning on its end in midair on ya. Anyway, if you see a good way to do it with your hoist have at it, will probably work fine. - GWE

Reply to
Grant Erwin

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